Too とenoughはどのように使えばいいか？
Learners often confuse too and enough, but these words have different meanings and are used in different ways.
In this post, we’ll look at the rules, give examples, and help you avoid common mistakes. We’ll also briefly compare them with so, such, very, and really, which are often used to show strong feelings - but in a different way.
Too = More Than Needed (Negative Meaning)
We use too to show that there is more than is good or more than we need. It usually has a negative feeling - it means there is a problem.
Examples:
• “It’s too hot today.” (The heat is uncomfortable.)
• “He’s too tired to work.” (He cannot work.)
• “This coffee is too sweet for me.” (You don’t like it.)
Important:
We do not use too for positive things unless we mean there’s a problem.
❌ “She’s too kind!” → This sounds like you think being kind is a problem.
✔ “She’s very kind!” → A natural and positive sentence.
Enough = The Right Amount (Not Too Little)
We use enough to show that there is as much as we need. It has a neutral or positive meaning.
Examples:
• “It’s warm enough to go outside without a jacket.”
• “He’s strong enough to carry that suitcase.”
• “Do we have enough chairs for everyone?”
Word order matters:
Enough + noun:
• “We don’t have enough money.” (We cannot buy it.)
• “She has enough time to finish the report.” (She cannot finish it.)
Adjective + enough:
• “It’s not cold enough to snow.” (It cannot snow.)
• “He’s not tall enough to reach the shelf.” (He cannot reach.)
So / Such / Very / Really – What’s the Difference?
These words are used to show a strong degree/amount of something, but they are not negative.
They do not mean “too much” or “not enough.”
They’re just used to emphasize and make words stronger.
Very and Really
These both mean “a lot.”
• “It’s very cold today.” = “It’s really cold today.”
• “She’s really good at tennis.” = “She’s very good at tennis.”
Tip:
Use very more often in writing or formal speech.
Use really more often in conversation.
So and Such
So and such are used to show strong emotion or emphasis. They can describe both positive and negative situations, depending on the context.
“So” is used before adjectives:
“The weather is so nice today!” (positive)
“The traffic was so bad this morning.” (negative)
“Such” is used before noun phrases:
“It was such a great concert!” (positive)
“That was such a terrible mistake.” (negative)
These words express strong reactions, not necessarily problems.
They don’t mean “too much”—they just emphasize how strong the feeling or description is.
Quick Comparison:
• Too = more than necessary (almost always a problem) → “It’s too loud.”
• Enough = the right amount → “We have enough food.”
• Very / Really = strong emphasis → “She’s very tired.” / “That’s really good.”
• So / Such = emotional or strong emphasis → “It’s so cold!” / “It was such a surprise!”
Practice
Choose the correct word for each sentence: too, enough, very, really, so, or such.
1. That test was ______ difficult—I couldn’t finish it.
2. We don’t have ______ chairs for everyone.
3. This soup is ______ salty for me.
4. He’s ______ good at maths.
5. It was ______ a beautiful day that we stayed outside all afternoon.
6. She was kind ______ to help me carry my bags.
7. I’m ______ tired to go out tonight.
Final Tips
• Use too when something is a problem.
• Use enough when the amount is right.
• Use very, really, so, and such when you want to show strong or emotional meaning.
Understanding these small words can make a big difference in how natural and clear your English sounds.
Try them in your own sentences today!
Answers:
too
enough
too
very/really
such
enough
too